Combined cotton recleaner and gin



July 15, 1930. J. E. MITCHELL COMBINED COTTON RECLEANER AND GIN Filed June l5. 1929 Patented July 15, 1930 `JOHN E. MITCHELL,

or DALLAS, TEXAS COMBINED COTTON RECLEANER AND GIN Application led .Tune 15,

rl`lie general object of this invention is to provide an improved cotton gin which is, in eii'ect, a combined cotton gin, cotton Vcleaning and separating machine, and the inventionis directed to the application of cotton cleaning and separatingv mechanism lin the breast of the huller type of cotton gins. f

lnthe embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing, the improvements are illus- '10 trat-ed as applied to a cotton gin of the double-rib type, but they may equally7 well be applied to gins equipped with single huller ribs.

The invention is more particularly directed to improvements in the type of machine described and illustrated in my prior Patent No. 1,707,131, dated March 26th, 1929, and in common with themachine of this patent, is designed to overcome the objection in- 2o herent in the construction of the modern huller-rib cotton gins of either the single or double-rib type, in which a picker roller is located in thelower portion of the huller breast, so that the cotton fed into the huller breast falls on this picker roller and is thrown over into contact with the gin saws which eX- tend through the huller ribs into the huller breast.

This picked roller is adjustable to and from 30 the gin saws, with the idea-of providing ust enough space between the roller and the saws to permit the hulls, sticks and other trash contained in the cotton to escape through the space between the roller and the saws and be discharged from the bottom of the huller.

breast while thegin-saws engage the cotton and carry it through the huller ribs into the roll-boX. f

As fully pointed out in the specification of 40 my prior patent aforesaid, it has been found impossible to secure an ideal adjustment of the picker roller relative to the huller ribs,

for the -reason that if the picker roller is acljusted far enough away from the gin saws 15 to permit a free discharge of the hulls and trash, aconsiderable percentage of the smalllock cotton willalso escape with thehulls and trash; on the other hand, if the roller is positioned'close enough tothe saws to prevent the loss of too much cotton, there results an 1929. serial No. 371,114.

inevitable accumulation of for ign matter .in the huller breast above the picker roller which is constantly forced into contact with the rapidly revolving gin saws, resulting in chipping or cutting the hulls and sticks and in a considerable portion of theforeign matter being worked through the huller ribs into the gin roll, whence it cannot escape and where it issubjec'ted tostill further cutting action of the gin saws, resulting in a lowering of the quality ofstapleobtained from the gin.

The machine disclosed in the patent above referred to was entirely successful in bring about'a rapid and free discharge ofthe hulls and trash from the. huller breast, but in operation, certain mechanical di'liculties were encountered due to the fact that the 13e-cleaning saw cylinder and the combined dolier and feed rollery above it are mounted inside the huller breast, with the recleaning saw rota tf ing in the same direction as the gin saws. 'ln this arrangement, substantially all of the mixed cotton yand trash delivered into the breastlof the gin falls directly onto the rc# cleaning saw cylinder and the roller orv doffer above it throwsthe cotton yfrom the top of this cylinder across an intervening gap and onto that portion of the gin saws extending through the huller ribs into the breast;

The objection to this construction is that as the re-cleaning saw cylinder has to handle all ofthe cottom fed into the breast of the gin, Y

unless the stream of mixed cotton and hulls is uniform, or 1n case of a sudden or heavy overload, the mass is liable towedge between the small reclaiming-saw cylinder and the dofferlroll, thus clogging orstopping the operationof these two members.

I overcome this objection in the present invention by mounting a reclaiming saw cylinder entirely outsideof the huller breast proper, or that portion of it into which the cotton is exposed to the action of the gin saws extending into the breast; by mounting a roller, corresponding in function to the doffer roll of my prior patent referredto,y in the bottom of the huller breast in substantially the same position asthe conventional picker roller and at such a distance from the gin sawsV as to permit of the free discharge of hulls and trash past the saw cylinder; and by causing the reclaiming saw cylinder to rotate in the opposite direction to that of the gin saw cylinder and said co-operating roller to rotate in the same direction as the gin saw cylinder and, therefore, in a direction opposite to that of the rotation of the reclaiming saw cylinder. As thus arranged, these elements cio-operate to eifect the cleaningr of the cotton with the same efliciency as characterized the machine 'of my prior patent; insures the ra id and free discharge of hulls and trash om the machine without loss of cotton; and avoids the danger of clogging due to overloading, or to lack of uniformity in the stream of mixed cotton and hulls fed into the machine which is present in the machine of my prior patent.

My invention is. therefore, characterized by theabove described arrangement and operation of Aparts in a Ahuller rib cotton gin and will `now be described in detail.

iin the accompanying drawing- The figure isa longitudinal sectional view partly broken away through a machine constructed according to my invention.

Referring now `to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the casing of a gin, in which vcasing is provided a roll-box V2 and a breast 3 formed by one wall 4 of the roll-box and the front wall 5 ofthe casing. Depending from the rear side of the roll-box is a series of ginning ribs6 and depending from'the front wall of the roll-box is a series of huller ribs 7. The lower ends of the ginning ribs 6 are mounted on a transverse frame bar 6 and the lower ends of the huller ribs 7are located on a transverse frame bar 7. Mounted in suitable bearings in the end walls of the casing 1 is a gin saw cylinder the shaft of which is indicated at 8 and one of the saws whereof is indicated at 9. The above parts are of ordinary construction and are practically standard in the modern type of double-rib gin. To make the present invention clear, it may be further stated, however, that the huller ribs 7 'are spaced a suiiiciently wide distance apartv to permit the seeds to be drawn through the ces between them by the gin saws, while, at the same time, such spaces are narrow enou h to preclude the passage of hulls, trash and ghe like, which latter are thereby separated from the cotton as the latter is drawn through the spaces between the huller ribs bythe saws and are removed from the gin in a manner to be presently described. The ginningribs 6 extend through the spaces between the saws and each pair of ribs is positioned in rclose proximity to the sides of one of the gin Sams so as to prevent the seeds from being drawn through the spaces between these ribs as the cotton is carried through by the saws. As they are separated from the cotton, the seeds slide down the outer or front faces of the ribs 6 and fall out of the machine.

To accomplish the purposes of my inven-Y tion, I mount in the lower portion of the breast of the gin a combined doifer and feed roller 10 which is positioned to rotate in proximity to the gin saws at the points where the latter pass through the spaces between the huller ribs 7, and vin the same direction as the gin saws. That is to say, the opposed surfaces of the roller and gin saws move in opposite directions. The roller 10, in its preferred form, comprises a cylinder having a series of blades 11 secured about its periphery at suitable distances apart and extending longitudinally of the cylinder. This roller is mounted in fixed bearings far enough away from the gin saws to provide a space 11 between the roller and the saws wide enough to insure a free or quick discharce of the hulls and trash from the breast of lthe gin. The width of, this space is such that acertain percentage of the small-lock cotton will also be discharged through it along with the hulls and trash. To prevent the waste or loss of this cotton, I rotatably mount in the end walls of the casing 1 beneath the roller 10 and entirely out-side of the huller breast a reclaiming saw cylinder the shaft of which is indicated at `12 and one of the saws whereof is indicated at 13. This reclaiming saw cylinder, as in the case of the gin saw cylinder, comprises a series of circular saws suitably spaced apart throughout the length of the cylinder. The reclaiming saws, however, are of much less diameter than the gin saws. The driving mechanism for the rotatable parts referred to is not shown, but it is of the conventional kind and so arranged as to drive the gin saws, the roller 10 and the reclaiming saws in therespective directions shown by the arrows, that is to say, the gin saws and the roller 10 revolving in the same direction and the reclaiming saw cylinder in an opposite direction, or coruntercloclm'ise.l The exact speeds of rotation ofthese parts are not important, but y.it is important that the'roller 10 should have ahigher surface speed of rotation than the reclaiming saw cylinder 13. The usual R. P. M. of the reclaimingsaws is from 10UV to 150; and of the roller 10, from 250 to'350. As saw cylinder 134 rotates in the opposite direction to that of both this roller and the gin saws, the hulls and trash containing a percentage of small-lock cotton are-thrown against the upward movingr teeth of the reclaiming saw cylinder, which engages the cotton while the hulls and trash are discharged through the space or opening 15. The discharge opening 15 is defined by one side of the reclaiming saw cylinder 13 and a valve 16V mountedon a transverse rod 17, the valve, as indicated by dotted lines, being adjustable to change the size of opening 15 to meet any requirements.

While the roller 10, as above stated, is mounted in substantially the same position ject cotton,

saws onto the reclaiming saws, and to doti cotton from the reclaiming saws and return same to the huller breast.

f 4. In a huller rib gin, in combination with the `breast of the gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be iednmd with the 4gin saws, cleaning mechanism comprising a cotton reclaiming Vsaw cylinder-located outside of the huller breast rotating in the opposite direction to that of the Qn saws, and a roller located in the lower portion of the huller breast rotating in the same direction as the gin saws and functioning in its upper portion to feed the raw product to the gin saws and in its lower portion to project cotton, hulls and trash passing by the gin saws onto the reclaiming saws, and to doti cotton from the reclaiming saws and return same to the huller breast.

5. In a huller rib gin, in combination with the breast of the gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be fed, and with the gin saws, cleaning mechanism comprising a cotton reclaiming saw cylinder located outside of the huller breast rotating in a direction opposite to that of the 'n saws, and a roller located in the lower portion of the huller breast rotating in the same direction as the gin saws in a zone between the. latter and the reclaiming saws and functioning in its upper portion to feed the raw product to the gin saws and in its lower portion to project cotton, hulls and trash passing by t e in saws onto the reclaiming saws, and to do cotton from the latter and return same to the huller breast.

6. In a huller rib gin, in combination with the breast of theV gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be ted, and with the gin saws, cleaning. mechanism -comprising a. cotton reclaiming saw cylinder located outside of the huller breast rotating in a direction opposite to that of the gin saws, and a roller located in the lower portion of the huller breast rotating in the same direction as the ginfsaws and functioning in its upper portion to receive the raw product fedinto the breast and to feed it to the gin saws, and in its lower portion to prohulls and trash passing by the gin saws onto the surface of the reclaiming saws, `and to doti cotton from the latter and return same to the huller breast.

7. In a huller rib gin, in combinationwith the breast of the gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be fed, and with the gin saws, cleaning mechanism comprising a cotton reclaiming saw cylinder located outside of the huller breast and rotating in a direction opposite to that of the gin saws, and a roller located in the rlower vportion ofthe huller breast in a zone between .the gin saws and reclaiming saws, rotating in the same direction as the gin saws, and substantially filling the outlet or throat of the huller breast, said roller functioning in its upper portion to receive the raw product fed into the breast and to feed the same to the gin saws and in its lower portion to project cotton, hulls and trash passing by the gin saws onto the reclaiming saws in the lower portion thereof, and to doif cotton from the upper portion of said reclaiming saws and return it to the huller breast. Y

8. In a huller rib gin, in combination with the breast of the gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be fed, and with the gin saws, cleaning mechanism comprising a cotton reclaiming saw cylinder located outside of the huller breast rotating in a direction opposite to that of the reclaiming saws, and a roller located in the lower portion of the huller breast rotating in the same direction as the gin saws and separated therefrom a suliicient distance to provide a space adequate for the free escape of hulls, trash and small-lock cotton past the gin saws and functioning in its upper portion to receive the raw product fed into the breast and to feed it onto the gin saws, and 1n its lower portion to project the cotton, hulls and trash escaping past the gin saws onto the reclaiming saws in the lower portion thereof, and to doif cotton from the upper portion of said reclaiming saws and return same to the huller breast.

9. In a huller rib gin, in combination with the breast of the gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be fed, and with the gin saws, cleaning mechanism comprising a cotton reclaimn saw cylinder located outside of the huller reast rotatingin a direction opposite to that of the gin saws, and a roller located in the lower portion of the huller breast in a zone between the gin saws and reclaiming saws and separate from the gin saws a distance sullicient to provide a space adequate for the free escape of hulls, trash and small-lock cotton past the gin saws, said roller functioning in its upper portion to receive the raw product fed into the breast and to feed it onto the gin saws, and in its lower portion to roject the cotton, hulls and trash passing y the gin saws onto the reclaiming saws in the lower .portion thereof, and to doit cotton from the upper portion of said reclaiming saws and return same to the huller breast gin, the construction providing an opening past the lower portion of the reclaiming saws for the escape of hulls and trash from the machine.

10. In a huller rib gin, in combination with the breast of the gin, into which the cotton mixed with hulls and trash is adapted to be fed, and with the gin saws, cleaning mechanism comprising a cotton reclaiming saw cylinder located outside of the huller breast rotating in a direction opposite to that of the gin saws, a roller located in the lower portion of the huller breast between the gin saws and the reclaiming saws rotating in the same direction as the latter, said roller functioning in its upper portion to receive the raw product fed into the breast and to feed it onto the gin saws, and in its lower portion to project cotton, hulls and trash' passing by the gin saws onto the reclaiming saws in the lower portion thereof, and to dofl" cotton from the upper portion of the reclaiming saws and return same to the huller breast, and a deflector located adjacent to said roller atvthe side thereof remote from the gin saws and against which the cotton doffed from the reclaiming saws is thrown by said roller and is caused to glance back onto the surface thereof.

In testimonyr whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN E. MITCHELL. 

